Review: The Collector of Dying Breaths: A Novel of Suspense

The Collector of Dying Breaths: A Novel of Suspense by M.J. Rose

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Literary Suspense
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of the series, of gothic fiction, those interested in reincarnation theories
Book Available: In hardcover, Kindle, MP3 CD, and Audible formats
Trigger Warnings: Euthanasia, murder, suicide, torture, brother beating his sister with a whip

My Thoughts: M.J. Rose's latest Reincarnationist book is as beautifully evocative as previous entries into the series. Generally speaking, the Reincarnationist series is set up in two trilogies—books one through three, then books four through six—so this book concludes the Jac trilogy.

This book, like the The Book of Lost Fragrances and Seduction, deals with scents and sensualness with a lushness that is intoxicating. The scents are described so well I can almost smell them, and the few sex scenes are beautifully sensual without being crude.

The ideas raised on reincarnation are fascinating to me, and resonate strongly to me with a sense of truth. M.J. Rose appears to have done a great deal of research into theories of reincarnation, and it shows in this book. Like any book by this amazing author, I strongly recommend this latest. I do recommend starting at least with The Book of Lost Fragrances if you don't want to start all the way at the beginning of the series.

Series Information: The Reincarnationist series.
Book 1: The Reincarnationist; I read in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 2: The Memorist; I read in 2010, or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 3: The Hypnotist; I listened to audiobook in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 4: The Book of Lost Fragrances; read and reviewed March 2012. Review linked here where formatting allowed.
Book 5: Seduction, review linked here where formatting allowed.
Book 6: The Collector of Dying Breaths, Available April 8, 2014
If you like this author's style, you can also check out The Butterfield Institute series.
Prequel: Lip Service; I read in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 1: The Halo Effect; I read in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 2: The Delilah Complex; I read in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars
Book 3: The Venus Fix; I read in 2010 or 2011, but didn't review. 5 stars

Disclosure: I received an e-galley ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: A lush and imaginative novel that crisscrosses time as a perfumer and a mythologist search for the fine line between potion and poison, poison and passion… and past and present.

Florence, Italy—1533: An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fragrances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the potential to reanimate the dead. In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country but the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, Rene doesn’t begin to imagine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.

Paris, France—The Present: A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile, is trying to recover from personal heartache by throwing herself into her work, learns of the 16th century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomes obsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breathes he had collected during his lifetime. Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Florentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection. A woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir… a purpose for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means. This mesmerizing gothic tale of passion and obsession crisscrosses time, zigzagging from the violent days of Catherine de Medici’s court to twenty-first century France. Fiery and lush, set against deep, wild forests and dimly lit chateaus, The Collector of Dying Breaths illuminates the true path to immortality: the legacies we leave behind.



View all my reviews

#Random Read: "Thalo Blue" by Jason McIntyre

So, it's been awhile since I selected a random read book. While I have a few books I need to read first, I plan to read Thalo Blue as soon as I can fit it in.

Synopsis

Sebastion Redfield is being hunted.

A young man on the brink of true adulthood, Redfield experiences the trauma of his life when a trespasser breaks into his home. The psychiatrist assigned to help him recover from the break-in begins to unravel a more disturbing truth about his ordeal: that someone or some thing has been hunting him.

Touted as "Jason McIntyre's most complex, multi-layered, and disturbing work," THALO BLUE delves into the life and times of Sebastion who, through his unique condition, may be the only person alive able to stop the mysterious "thief". This figure is unstoppable, even by death it seems, and he wants something that only Sebastion possesses. An explosive confrontation in his home during the middle of a brutal winter begins their terrifying encounter, one that will eventually stretch across a city, a township and a country.

Recovery is Sebastion's next phase of life--and not just physical recovery but an emotional healing from a life of family drama and the burden of being 'gifted'. Sebastion and the psychiatrist assigned to help him deal with the break-in quickly realize that the ordeal is not over. Now, to save his own life, he and the therapist must dredge up his dark, painful past for clues as to who or what the terrifying thief may be. 

Part literary noir, part mystery, and part horror, THALO BLUE is sure to paralyze readers and keep them gnawing at their nails at each startling revelation.

Sounds pretty cool, eh? So, I'll be looking forward to reading this book and letting you know what I think!

Updating you #Cancer journey

Poor Prometheus. I'm starting to know how he felt...

But I'm starting at the end. For those of you who have been following along, I had a liver biopsy a few weeks ago. You can follow that link if you want to refresh your memory. Anyway, the following Tuesday (April 1) I went in for my second chemotherapy treatment and learned that yes, there is cancer in my liver, too. And I'm anemic. I'm taking daily iron supplements, I eat lots of broccoli, and I'm still anemic. So, they added two new drugs to my treatment - one was just an iron supplement, but the other was specifically for the liver cancer. It apparently constricts the blood vessels, which will hopefully starve the tumors. Of course that means I'm ending up with a lot of headaches. The doctor recommends caffeine, since I can't have anything with aspirin or ibuprofen in it. Apparently the caffeine will dilate the blood vessels again and help stop the headache.

Anyway, this last chemo treatment was tough. Once again my hands started to cramp, and then my feet started to cramp. It was so bad, and it lasted three days this time. It was late on Friday before I could walk with any sort of a normal gait. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning I could only walk very slowly, taking very small steps, and sort of waddling. Which was actually kind of funny to see, I imagine... But hey, my legs HURT, and so did my arms.

My next chemo treatment is coming up on Tuesday, which is tax day. That seems strangely ominous, doesn't it? I have my nice, warm Huf socks that someone was kind enough to buy for me from my wishlist (they came without any paperwork, so I have no idea who sent them), and some nice fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm and still let me use my computer if I wish, plus my healing blanket sent by Schledia Benefield from Mississippi and my plush Cthulhu (which another kind person sent to me), so I'm all set to keep warm, since the weather is supposed to cool off dramatically that day. And also my doctor said that the chemo treatment itself might make me feel cold, which increases the likelihood of more cramps.

I continue to receive so much support and encouragement from folks on-line, and I really appreciate it. I appreciate those who have sent me things off my wishlist, and I appreciate those who are thinking of me, praying for me, and/or sending me healing energy and positive vibes. I do want to mention that a number of items show as purchased on my wishlist but have not arrived. I try to thank people publicly when I receive a gift, so if you sent something and haven't heard from me, please check on the status of your order.

I generally update much more regularly on Facebook, but I'm still very far behind on posts there. So, if you want to keep better track of me, friend me on Facebook!

Review: Wingless

Wingless by Holly Hood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Please Note: Read and reviewed in June, 2011. Updating formatting and adding disclosure that I received a free galley from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

About the Book: Eve is a willful and independent 18-year-old. One of her brothers, Marcus, the one she had felt the closest to, was murdered during a robbery four years ago; she has taken to hiding out in the woods with her best friend Vanessa and drinking in order to numb the pain. One day, while walking home, she falls into a stream and is pulled out by a tall, powerfully built young man, who introduces himself as Ace. Ace turns out to be a nickname (his given name is Evan); he is 22. Eve and Evan connect immediately and begin to see each other; much to the annoyance of Eve’s other brother, Gray. In a short time, against her family’s wishes, Eve moves in with Evan.

But Evan is not what he seems; his destiny is one of power and awesome responsibility, but also of devastating consequences to those around him. His people have rules and regulations by which they live; they don’t approve of relationships unless the couple is going to stay together – there is no option. Can the love Eve and Evan feel for each other keep them steady through the trials of Eve’s adjustments to this life? Can Evan maintain his love for Eve against her rages and moods?

My Thoughts: Overall I rather liked the story – unlike many stories with a basis of romance, the couple doesn’t spend the whole book hating each other and fighting over stupid things. It is true that Eve is remarkably moody, tending to swing into blind rages, screaming fits, and extreme melancholy under the slightest provocation, but then again, she is only 18. Eve also is often inconsistent – stating that people need to be nice to one another and treat one another with respect, and then completely ignoring her family’s wishes, refusing to even discuss certain situations with them, and basically leaving them cold. Apparently there are issues with her family that she has never resolved, which comes out later in the story, but this isn’t addressed early on where it should be, so Eve simply looks hypocritical, amoral, and spoiled.

One thing I would like to address are the many errors, typos, usage mistakes and punctuation errors in the ebook that I downloaded from Smashwords. I discussed with the author whether this was a final draft, ready for publication, or a proof being provided for reviewers to read. She indicated that she had the book edited some time back and thought perhaps I had downloaded the wrong file, but as it turns out it is entirely possible that she inadvertently uploaded the wrong version. So, please, don’t let those sorts of things count against the story; give her a chance to rectify the problem.

Fans of paranormal romances should enjoy this story.




View all my reviews

@JTaylorPub and @TerriRochenski #Cover Reveal "Secret of the Souls" Pool of Souls Book 2

Secret of the Souls

  

Pool of Souls

by Terri Rochenski

Release Date: October 6, 2014

Target Reader: Adult

Keywords: Fantasy

  

Back of the Book

Thrust out of their homes by a human High Priest on a vengeful mission, the Natives of Derlund no longer have a place to call their own. One escaped capture, however, and now she, Hyla, is the only one who can save her people.

For Hyla, though, saving her nation isn’t her ultimate goal—returning to the Pool of Souls is. Becoming its Guardian and preserving their faith is her heart’s desire. The perils of her current journey, though, could leave her unable to fulfill that dream.

To find her way back to the Pool, Hyla must live among dangerous, powerful humans willing to defend the Natives, and must submit herself—her Talents—to them. While her protection is paramount, plots to end Hyla’s life will push her to her physical and emotional limits.

On the edge of sanity, her courage tested, and convictions nearly broken, Hyla’s final test of loyalty to her faith comes with the death of one she could have loved.

 

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/34

Review: Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities

Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities by Chris Kluwe

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Nonfiction/Essays
Reading Level: Adult (language)
Recommended for: Thinkers
Trigger Warnings: mention of school shootings

My Thoughts: I don't necessarily agree with all of Chris Kluwe's opinions (but then again the world would be mighty boring if everyone thought the same of everything), however I found this peek into his brain to be fascinating. This is a guy I would love to sit down and shoot the breeze with about all sorts of things. This book ranges from poetry to stream-of-consciousness, to political satire, to letters written to various people and in response to various people regarding marriage equality. Chris Kluwe is funny, sharp-witted, and highly intelligent. If you enjoy having your thoughts provoked, then check out this book of fun essays. It will make you think.

Disclosure: This book was purchased for me by a friend as a gift. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Hi. In your hands, right now, you hold the culmination of thousands of years of human intelligence, ingenuity, and brilliance. Now put your goddamn phone down and pay attention to my book. 

What is in my book, you ask? (I'm really glad you asked, by the way, because now I get to tell you.)

Time travel. Gay marriage. Sportsballing. Futuristic goggles that DO NOTHING.

Tiny brags from my publisher, stuff like: "This is an uproarious, uncensored take on empathy, personal responsibility, and what it means to be human."

Excessive brags about myself: "An extraordinarily clever, punishingly funny, sharp-tongued blogosphere star, NFL player, husband and father, one-time violin prodigy, voracious lifetime reader, obsessive gamer, and fearless champion of personal freedom."

Oh, and also an essay on the Pope's Twitter account. Honestly, if that doesn't draw you in, there's no hope left for humanity. I also give my own funeral eulogy, in case you were hoping I'd go away and die now!

So please, join me in the glorious art of windmill tilting by reading this "collection of rousing, uncensored personal essays, letters, and stories" (I have no idea why that's in quotes).

Join the herd of Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies.

(You know you want to.)



View all my reviews

Attwood Collected Works: Reporting in after Voice of Lawrence Interview

Follow the link below to go to the original post at Randy's site, and from there you can follow a link to listen to his interview.

Attwood Collected Works: Reporting in after Voice of Lawrence Interview: The March 28 interview experience was really very interesting and rewarding. The Voice of Lawrence studios are on 8th street just off ...

Why liver biopsies suck

For those of you following along at home, last week was my first chemotherapy. The week before that I'd had an MRI of my abdomen and the doctor spotted some lesions on my liver, so I needed to have a biopsy done. My oncologist hoped to have it done right away so I had all the right chemo meds from the start, but alas it was not to be; the biopsy was finally scheduled for today.

Now, last week I had a port implanted, and while they numbed me up very well, they didn't manage to sedate me. I was alert through the whole procedure, so today when I went in I made a lot of noise about not wanting to do that again. Well, they gave me some fluids and then started doping me up and voila, I was out. Until the doctor stuck the needle into my liver. That woke me right up... screaming. They put me under again and tried again with the same results. Apparently they did finally manage to do the trick, because I was finished and taken to recovery and finally back upstairs, where I waited for 4 hours just in case it started bleeding or something.

They said the needle they used to punch through to my liver was smaller than a toothpick. They said that the lesion was close to the surface. They said I shouldn't feel anything because they would numb up the area before they did the procedure.

THEY LIED!!

This was almost as bad as a barium enema. The only difference being with the barium enema there was absolutely NO attempt to sedate me or reduce my pain, so it still remains the most painful procedure I've dealt with.

Next week is my next chemo treatment. I have them every two weeks. I want to thank all of my wonderful friends for their support, encouragement, and gifts over the past few weeks. It has meant the world to me.

Review: New Watch

New Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Magical Reality
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of series, urban fantasy, magical reality
Book Available: April 22, 2014 in paperback, Kindle, and audio book (MP3 or CD)
Trigger Warnings: Danger to child, mention of rape in historical context, killing

My Thoughts: A few years ago, when I read The Last Watch, I thought the series was finished. Fortunately that was not the case. In fact, looking at the Russian language series information, I see that there are a few more books yet to be translated into English and released in the US, and I'm very excited about this.

Lukyanenko is a highly prolific writer, and has very talented translators that allow the ideas behind his stories to come through clearly, which is not always the case in translated literature. As this series continues to unfold, we learn more and more about not only the Others, but also about the magic system and the world created. I think this author is one that all fans of urban fantasy, magical reality, and fantasy will enjoy. The characters are fascinatingly multifaceted and quirky and often not at all what you would expect based upon their introduction. I love that the world is so deeply covered in shades of gray, that there is no real black and white.

If you enjoy complex stories, no moral absolutism, and characters that force you out of your comfort zone, these books are awesome. I do recommend reading the series in order for maximum enjoyment.

Series Information: The Night Watch series
Book 1: Night Watch, review linked here
Book 2: Day Watch, review linked here
Book 3: Twilight Watch, review linked here
Book 4: The Last Watch, read but not reviewed, 5 stars
Book 5: New Watch, available April 22, 2014

Disclosure: I received an ARC (unproofed) copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Walking the streets of our cities are the Others. These men and women are guardians of the Twilight, a shadowy parallel world that exists alongside our own. Each has sworn allegiance to one side, fighting for the Light, or the Darkness. But now, beyond the continuing struggle comes a peril that threatens their very world .

At Moscow airport, Higher Light Magician Anton Gorodetsky overhears a child screaming that a plane is about to crash. He discovers that the child is a prophet: an Other with the gift of foretelling the future. When the catastrophe is averted, Gorodetsky senses a disruption in the natural order, one that is confirmed by the arrival of a dark and terrifying predator.

From the Night Watch headquarters Gorodetsky travels to London, to Taiwan and across Russia in search of clues, unearthing as he goes a series of increasingly cataclysmic prophecies. He soon realises that what is at stake is the existence of the Twilight itself—and that only he will be able to save it.



View all my reviews

#Giveaway "Unnatural" by @JABelfield ARC from @JTaylorPub

J. Taylor Publishing are giving away FIVE ARCs of Unnatural by J.A. Belfield!

Check it out!

Unnatural. One word to sum up werewolf Kyle Larsen—his mood swings, abnormal body, and choice of female.

The first two, he blames on the vampire venom. The third, though? No, feline shifter Brook Nicholls was all his doing—a female of whom the pack will never approve.

As part of the Coalition, an organisation with even stricter rules than the pack and a rigidly warped sense of responsibility, Brook comes with a whole lot of opposition of her own.

No wonder the two of them keep their relationship secret for as long as they can.

Now, distanced from his family by his own indiscretions, Kyle’s left to fight battles he’s unsure how to win—some of them even against his own pack.

Is one woman really so important that he’s willing to defy his Alpha for her?

If his heart has any say in the matter, the answer will be yes.

A great addition to the Holloway Pack, UNNATURAL will please both veterans of the series and new readers alike. It also just might be the paranormal romance you've all been waiting for.

And J. Taylor Publishing is giving away FIVE ARC copies.

To YOU!

You don’t even have to be a book blogger!

Nope, so long as you are willing to leave an honest review* between the dates March 19th and April 6th 2014, you are eligible to enter.

Interested?

Then just fill out the form and keep your fingers crossed.

You have until midnight of March 18th to enter.

*A review should consist of your honest thoughts regarding a book, usually a few paragraphs long and around 150 - 500 (sometimes more) words in length.

About J.A. Belfield:



One day, a character and scene popped into J. A. Belfield's head, and she started controlling the little people inside her imagination as though she were the puppet master and they her toys. Questions arose: What would happen if ...? How would they react if ...? Who would they meet if ...? Before she knew it, a singular scene had become an entire movie. The characters she controlled began to hold conversations. Their actions reflected the personalities she bestowed upon them. Within no time, they had a life, a lover, a foe, family ... they had Become.

One day, she wrote down her thoughts. She's yet to stop.

J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, three cats, and a dog. She writes paranormal romance with a second love for urban fantasy.